Teddy Bears Take Centre Stage At Sumud Nusantara Carnival In Solidarity With Palestine

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- Visitors to the Sumud Nusantara Carnival at Dataran Merdeka were thrilled to see thousands of teddy bears of various colours and shapes arranged to form the map of Palestine.

Through this symbolic gesture, the programme seeks to assemble 8,000 teddy bears to represent the more than 18,000 Palestinian children killed in Gaza by the Zionist regime’s atrocities.

Cinta Gaza Malaysia’s (CGM) Malaysia Book of Records project director Ikmal Islam said the teddy bears were selected for their close connection with the community, symbolising love and the world of children that must be protected.

He said that despite the encouraging public response, 4,000 more teddy bears were still needed by 6 pm to complete the map of Palestine, which will be documented in the Malaysia Book of Records through an initiative organised by CGM in conjunction with the Sumud Nusantara Carnival.

“The public can donate from as low as RM10 for each teddy bear to be included in the formation of the Palestine map. Once the event concludes, the bears will be donated to orphanages in Malaysia, and cash donations will go to the people of Gaza through CGM,” he told Bernama.

The historic initiative calls on people to bring or buy teddy bears to be arranged in formation, representing love and a message of solidarity from the archipelago to the global community.

Visitor Hamidah Din from Kajang described the initiative as a meaningful way for the community to show their support and contribute to Gaza even from afar.

“It feels good to know there is something for the people there...what matters is that the donations, along with the intention behind them, reach Gaza. I was amazed by the number of teddy bears here; it’s very close to the community’s heart,” she said.

For a teacher who preferred to be identified only as Ashikin from Pahang, the teddy bear represented a heartfelt symbol of compassion for the misery and suffering of Palestinian children.

“This teddy bear donation programme is a great initiative, allowing us to contribute, even if we are not in Gaza. The teddy bears symbolise love, as though our children here are sharing the suffering of Palestinian children who were martyred,” she said.

A Bernama check found that the carnival booths, which opened at 10 am, were bustling with activity and drawing the attention of both locals and foreign tourists.

A tourist from the Philippines, Renee Espayos said the event provided a great platform for her to donate and stand in solidarity with Palestine.

“While checking out the event. I got the chance to donate to Palestinian children in exchange for a teddy bear, and it was such a pleasure to do that,” she said.

Pablo Gas from Spain, commended the initiative, describing the teddy bear donation drive as a great way to support the cause.

“This is a great idea; cute and it can attract people to come and donate freely. I really hope this (genocide) will be over soon,” he said.

The Malam Himpunan dan Selawat – MalaysiaKu Bersama Gaza (Gathering and Selawat Night – Malaysia Stands with Gaza) will be the highlight of the Sumud Nusantara Carnival 2025, held from Aug 22 to 24, jointly organised by the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (MAPIM) and CGM.

Expected to gather over 100,000 participants from across the country, the event will be attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who will deliver a keynote address and opening speech.

--BERNAMA